Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Mercy and Its Price
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On the carriage ride back to the castle, the servant asked me repeatedly if I had been injured in any way.
Even if I had, it would've been a mere bruise from being knocked over by those brutes. It would heal in a day or two, and the pain wasn't severe, so I didn't bother making a fuss about it.
…If I mentioned any injuries, I had a feeling things would spiral irreversibly out of control.
“So, Count Guiner? You said his family would be summoned to the castle…”
“Yes. We plan to formally charge them. It is, after all, high treason.”
“I’m just asking, but… what’s the usual punishment for treason?”
“In a time of war like this, treason against the state is most often punished by the annihilation of the entire family.”
I let out a deep sigh, looking at the servant who had just said something utterly insane with such a calm expression.
This was the world of a game with a medieval setting, where reason and common sense were tangled together. On top of that, the backdrop was a war for the very survival of the entire continent.
The moment I heard the word ‘treason,’ I sensed something was amiss, but… come on. The annihilation of an entire clan.
…Things were already spiraling irreversibly out of control.
“That seems a bit extreme…”
“I heard you were nearly killed by them, Lord Bin. That a blade was held to your throat. If that knight had applied just a bit more force to his fingers, your life would have been forfeit. The hope of humanity, whom the Overlord would risk his own life to kill, could have died so meaninglessly…”
The servant spoke as if he were soothing a child’s tantrum.
“Lord Bin, it would be wise for you to consider your own value more carefully. Lady Rireu is a fine mage, but from now on, you should move with a formal escort of knights.”
The servant sighed, his forehead wrinkling as if the mere thought was terrifying.
“…Surely you don’t think I could have actually been killed by those idiots?”
I told that brazen lie even as the cold sensation of the blade lingered at my throat.
Even if they had intended to kill me, I wasn't cold-hearted enough to stand by and watch an entire family be led to the chopping block one by one.
Their family must have young children who've done nothing wrong, right?
I didn’t want to see them caught up in this.
“Even the most brilliant mage is vulnerable to a surprise attack. You are not like warriors who train their bodies daily. In fact, I heard that Lady Rireu herself was once caught in a surprise attack by a Tauros far below her level during the last expedition and faced a great crisis.”
The servant cited basic battlefield common sense. He was right, a hundred, a thousand times over.
“Still, the punishment is too severe.”
Nevertheless, I pushed back stubbornly.
‘People are going to die because of me.’
I just couldn’t get that thought out of my head.
“That is not for you to discuss with me.”
The servant turned his gaze out the window and fell silent, as if there was nothing more to say.
“…What do we do?”
I looked at Rireu sitting next to me and lamented the situation, which had grown far too big for us to handle.
“…”
As always, she pulled the brim of her hat down to hide her face.
Faced with a defensive strategy worthy of a turtle, I was left speechless and could only bury my face in my hands.
…Somehow, I had ended up pushing a noble family to the executioner’s block.
Why does everything I do get so twisted?
* * *
The rising star of the Sword Saint's party was nearly assassinated. And by the young lady of a count’s family, one that had long accumulated wealth and honor in the capital.
Given the gravity of the matter, the Elf Queen and the Human Emperor personally summoned them to the audience chamber to pass judgment.
Normally, the Dwarf King and the Orc Chieftain should have been present as well, but unfortunately, they were in no position to drop their duties and rush over.
“So. You must be them. The fools who tried to kill our rising star.”
The Elf Queen's icy voice filled the audience chamber.
The members of House Guiner kept their heads bowed to the floor, too ashamed to speak.
The Emperor also watched them in silence, tapping his fingers on the armrest of his throne.
“You people have quite the reputation, from what I hear. Slicing off ankles if the rent is a day late… using deceptive contracts to impose excessive taxes on the common folk, and even forcing the illiterate to sign contracts to enslave them, correct?”
The Human Emperor was like a completely different person. Like a judge from the depths of hell, his face was contorted in a deep scowl, the profound marks of the last war etched clearly upon it.
“Do you have any idea what era this is? To pull such stunts during a time of war, and you still call yourselves nobles?”
From what the Emperor described, House Guiner was far more wicked than I had imagined.
They not only cleverly altered contracts to levy exorbitant taxes on merchants who rented their buildings and land, but they also used deceptive contracts and forced the illiterate to sign them, threatening to cut off their limbs one by one if they didn't fulfill the terms…
They were no different from a crime cartel straight out of a movie.
They were such scum that, for a moment, the thought, ‘…Maybe just executing them is for the best,’ crossed my mind.
I should have known they were an unhinged family from the moment that girl, who couldn’t be more than thirteen or fourteen, started spouting nonsense about cutting off ankles and slitting throats…
“Well, setting aside all those petty crimes, the single act of putting a blade to our rising star's throat is enough to warrant death. Rather than waste time listing your trivial sins, let’s just pass the death sentence and be done with it. Is our time not too precious to be spent on such worthless humans?”
The criminals flinched at the Elf Queen’s sharp words. It seemed she was more irritated by the fact that they had held a knife to my throat and tried to kill me than by their countless other evil deeds.
“Y-Your Majesty… Please, just spare our lives…!”
“Silence.”
The queen cut them off, as if she had no desire to listen to the pleas of such vile criminals.
“Do you even realize what you almost did? That kid is the one who will end this war.”
Ah, yes… you really don’t have to bring that up again…
“The mage who solved the continent's food crisis just two weeks after being appointed general is the kid standing before you. He's a hero who accomplished in a mere fortnight what worthless scum like you could never achieve in a lifetime of trying.”
No, well… I’m sure they could manage that much if they tried their whole lives.
“If you have no talent, you should at least try not to be a nuisance. How immature. Attempted assassination of a general? Hey, you, the eldest daughter of House Guiner. The one you tried to kill today wasn't some worthless kid like yourself, but the future of all humanity.”
No, no. My life is definitely not on par with all of humanity.
Your Majesty, you’re exaggerating…
“She speaks the truth.”
Good grief, why is the Emperor joining in?
This is driving me crazy.
“I’m sorry! I truly didn’t know he was such an important person! He was dressed so much like a commoner…!”
“Are you saying commoners are beings you can kill as you please? Do you really think that's a valid excuse?”
The Emperor shot back with a disbelieving laugh.
“Th-That is…!”
The young lady of House Guiner had nothing more to say and could only press her head to the floor.
It seemed that even in this situation, she still perceived commoners as beings she could do with as she pleased…
…Is this family really so far gone that it doesn’t matter if we just let them die?
“Do you have anything to say? I personally recommend the guillotine, but I can change it to a public burning if you wish.”
The Elf Queen turned to me, who had been watching everything from a corner of the audience chamber, and asked.
My, my, Your Majesty, offering such morbid choices.
“…”
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment.
From what I’d heard from the Emperor, this family was irredeemably corrupt.
They were a criminal organization that used their title of count to commit all sorts of crimes, and some among them viewed commoners as little more than toys to be killed whenever the mood struck.
“Still, I believe I'm not entirely without fault, as I was the one who spoke disrespectfully to them first.”
And yet, without opening my tightly shut eyes, I defended them.
Most of them deserved to die, yes… but there was surely a newborn child in their household who had committed no crime. There had to be relatives who lived ordinary lives, innocent of any wrongdoing.
The annihilation of an entire clan was a punishment too barbaric for me, someone who had lived for nearly twenty years as a modern man, to bear.
“You are a general of the Allied Forces. Speaking down to a count is not an issue.”
“I also provoked the situation, leading them to pick a fight. Of course, I never imagined they'd just press a knife to my throat… but I don't believe the fault lies entirely with the young lady.”
“Hah. The fault doesn't lie entirely with her? Are you suggesting you bear some responsibility for the current situation?”
The Elf Queen looked at me with an amused snort. She seemed annoyed that a matter that should have ended quickly was dragging on.
“Hmm. Well, maybe about one percent… wouldn’t you say?”
I said, slowly opening my eyes.
“Are you trying to joke with me?”
The Elf Queen was looking at me with an expression of genuine annoyance and irritation.
“No, well… still, I'd prefer it if you didn't sentence the entire family to death. I don’t think I'd sleep well at night, knowing people died because of me.”
“You're too soft. And far too humble for your skills. One human with a childish personality is enough with the Sword Saint.”
The Elf Queen showed a look of disappointment at my decision. She had apparently hoped for me to make a more ruthless and cold judgment, but what could I do?
This is who I am.
Wouldn’t it be stranger if I, someone who had lived for nearly twenty years with modern morals and ethics, suddenly adapted perfectly to the ways of the medieval era?
“Still, I don’t like people dying. Especially not because of me.”
At my bold reply to the queen, the Emperor’s deeply etched wrinkles vanished as he burst into a wide grin.
“You sound just like the Sword Saint did when I first spoke with him, twenty-five years ago.”
“A mere seven-year-old kid spouting nonsense, it gave me a splitting headache… It feels like the exact same situation as back then.”
Unlike the grinning Emperor, the Elf Queen clutched her head with both hands as if in pain and shook it from side to side.
“It seems geniuses of a different caliber have something in common! Well, to me, this looks like nothing but a good omen.”
The Elf Queen answered the Emperor’s words with a sigh.
What is this, why are you comparing me to a monster like the Sword Saint?
Please don’t. I’m a pathetic mage who can only use a single spell…
“I’ll be looking forward to it, General Bin.”
“Uh, um. Yes…?”
It seemed I had once again amplified their expectations in a completely unnecessary way.
…The expectations on me are already overwhelming. If I didn't have the [Composure] trait, my heart would have exploded and killed me long ago.
Why does every single thing I say and do get misunderstood like this?
This must be all because of bad luck.
…Seriously, a Luck stat of 10,000.
If only I had invested 10,000 more stat points into Luck, no more, no less…!
“…Anyway, I’d rather not lose sleep over needless guilt. My constitution isn’t very strong as it is.”
With those words, I quietly fell silent again.
The Elf Queen and the Human Emperor conversed quietly among themselves, and then, as if they had reached a conclusion, they ordered the criminals to raise their heads.
“Normally, this is a crime grave enough to warrant the beheading of everyone in your family, down to your servants… but well, I’d rather not see our ‘good boy’ lose sleep over needless guilt.”
The Elf Queen deliberately emphasized the words ‘good boy.’
Her face still held an expression of dissatisfaction. It was clear she wanted to drag them to the guillotine right away and publicly announce the fate of those who commit treason.
Judging from her conversation with the Emperor, it wasn’t because she was some bloodthirsty maniac who enjoyed executions.
It was because executing nobles was, in the end, beneficial to the Allied Empire.
House Guiner wasn't just a slightly arrogant count's family. They were a kind of family cartel that systematically planned and executed crimes.
Publicly executing a family that had strengthened its position through crime would serve as a warning to other nobles who grew their power in the same way.
“Too bad for you, you trash. Personally, I wanted to hang you up in the plaza and burn you one by one over a slow fire.”
The Elf Queen clicked her tongue in genuine disappointment.
Intimidating nobles who illegally accumulate power and solidifying the empire’s position.
It was simple common sense, something you could learn in a middle school class, that strengthening the central authority was essential in a time of war.
What was it, didn’t Goguryeo fall to Silla because it failed to centralize its power? Or was it someone else?
Well, whatever.
I was someone who had given up on studying from a young age, so there was no way I’d remember exactly which country fell due to a failure to centralize.
Just knowing that centralization was important during wartime was something to be proud of.
“All assets of House Guiner will be confiscated, and their title shall be revoked. Furthermore, the key figures involved in the family's crimes are sentenced to life in prison.”
“In addition, the confiscated assets, real estate, and servants shall be bestowed upon Lord Bin, the victim of this incident.”
…?
What did His Majesty the Emperor just say?
“What?”
“The land they managed alone exceeds twenty square kilometers. What do you think would happen if such a vast territory were suddenly left without a master? Someone must manage it, no?”
“But I’ve never managed land before, and besides, the monthly salary I receive is more than enough to live on…”
“Tolerance. Mercy. You have shown the two crucial virtues that one who holds great wealth must possess. That is enough.”
His Majesty the Emperor cut me off. His attitude suggested my opinion was unimportant.
“No. No, no. Aren't there many other important things? Like how to manage money, how to manage land, investigating the people who work on that land… I-I just want to focus on getting stronger…”
I risked being rude and countered the Emperor’s opinion.
I’d have to review contracts with residents and merchants, check for any mortgaged assets at the bank… inheriting that much money would undoubtedly bring a mountain of troublesome work.
I didn’t want to bother with useless things like managing an estate. Right now, I needed to focus completely on improving my own stats.
High-ranking Mazoku and the Overlord were after my life. Yet compared to the strength of the enemies targeting me, my own power was pitifully weak.
Just two weeks ago, hadn’t I been forced to gamble with my life in front of a high-ranking Mazoku just to survive?
Bluffing, making empty threats… I didn’t expect such flukes to work time and time again.
So what was important to me now wasn’t money, but the ability to survive in this insane world.
“Well, it will only be registered in your name for appearance’s sake; you don’t actually have to worry about managing the estate. Honestly, we’re not giving you the land with the expectation that you’ll be a good landlord. I’ll give the necessary orders for the main estate management to the servants assigned to you. They are competent, so you need not worry.”
The Elf Queen saw my flustered stammering and explained the situation a little more directly.
“That’s still a bit of a burden…”
Why are you registering land that I’m not even managing in my name?
If some kind of accident happens, won’t I be the one to take all the blame…?
“Don’t feel too burdened. We were planning on granting you some decent land sooner or later anyway. You have your achievements from the Enker Highlands, after all.”
The Emperor chimed in to support the Elf Queen’s words with a bright smile, as if telling me to take the hint.
“…Ah. Yes… I understand.”
Seeing as my words weren't having any effect, it seemed the Emperor and Queen were worried that giving the vast, twenty-square-kilometer territory within the capital to other nobles would only serve to increase their power.
As I said before, weakening the power of the nobility and strengthening the central government was essential in a time of war.
Rather than needlessly bolstering the strength of other nobles by giving them the territory, granting the land to me, someone firmly in their camp, was a much more rational choice from their perspective.
…Still, isn't that a rather flimsy justification? What's this about tolerance and mercy? By that logic, every cleric on the continent should own a huge plot of land in the capital.
“Congratulations, you’ve acquired some fine land! Hoho.”
Regardless of my grumbling, the Emperor’s continuing demeanor made it clear I had no choice in the matter.
“Y-Yes… Thank you…”
And just like that, I suddenly became the lord of a whopping twenty square kilometers of land and all the buildings on it. Right in the capital.
It meant that from now on, I bore the duty of protecting the lives of the countless residents living on that estate.
Faced with this immense responsibility that came with enormous economic gain, all I could do was blink my eyes.
‘My general’s salary was more than enough.’
…I doubt there could be a more perfect time to use the phrase ‘a mixed blessing.’